Production of germline chimera in loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) and proposal of new method for preservation of endangered fish species

Abstract

As part of the technique for preservation of endangered fish species, germline chimeras using the loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) model were generated by embryonic cell manipulation. Transplanting cells from early-stage embryos of a wild-type strain to the blastoderm of an orange-type strain generated chimeras. Within three days, many of the resulting individuals exhibited a dark pigment on several parts of their body, characteristic of the donor but not of the orange strain. At one year of age, four chimeras (one female and three males) were pair-mated with the orange type, and F1 was obtained. One of the four F0 chimeras produced progeny similar to the wild type at a frequency of 0.24% (2/841). The results suggest that this method is a promising technique for the preservation of endangered fish species. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.